Virginia 3Q17 Fundraising Numbers Start to Come In (UPDATED)

VA-10

DAN HELMER FUNDRAISING TOTAL HITS $530K IN RACE FOR VA-10

ENDS Q3 WITH $400K CASH-ON-HAND

Fairfax, VA – Today, Dan Helmer, Iraq/Afghanistan War Veteran and lifelong Democrat, announced he has raised more than $530,000 in his bid to unseat Congresswoman Barbara Comstock in VA-10. Helmer finished the quarter with $400,000 cash on hand.

“I’m excited about the success we’re seeing in our campaign – from fundraising and grassroots energy, to interest in my critiques of Barbara Comstock and vision for this district,” said Dan Helmer. “As polling shows Barbara Comstock more unpopular than ever and truly vulnerable to a strong Democratic challenger, I know that Virginians are looking for demonstrated leadership and new perspectives in their next member of Congress.”

Additional notes about Dan’s fundraising and campaign during the third quarter:

The campaign released the Helmer Zone video that went viral, racking up over 450,000 views on Facebook and YouTube. It resulted in local and national press coverage worth more than $300,000 (including two segments on local Fox 5 and being featured on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert), double-digit percentage growth in social media followers and email signups, an exponential increase in search traffic and an immeasurable increase in name ID. For a wrap-up of the success of the Helmer Zone watch here: http://bit.ly/2ymkQSA.

The third quarter, during which Helmer raised $170,000, marked a significant transformation in Helmer’s grassroots fundraising. 41% of donations in Q3 were for $27 or less, and 66% were under $100.

Dan Lagana, vice chair with the Fairfax County Democrats, said of Helmer: “I’ve been incredibly impressed by Dan Helmer’s campaign. He has demonstrated himself, more so than any other candidate, to be innovative, nimble, and adaptive. It’s my job to be out and about communicating with Democratic activists in Fairfax County, and Dan Helmer has continued to show his ability to build name recognition around his positive message of service, problem-solving, and leadership. Dan’s name recognition and personal appeal have grown, and substantially so, through the Top Gun spoof that went viral and because of his relentless and spirited engagement voters across the district.”

David Pratt, who leads Indivisible Winchester — a grassroots organization founded as an antidote to the Trump agenda — said Helmer has earned the support of activists in the western part of VA-10. “We love to see Dan Helmer show up out where we live. Most notably, he was at the March for Science in Winchester and spoke at our most recent organizational meeting. The HelmerZone video was fun and showed that he is not afraid to be authentic and irreverent. The buzz among the activists I know signals he is now a front-runner among the Democratic contenders for 2018. Dan will appeal to Independents as well as Democrats as a principled and passionate public servant. He’s exactly the kind of fresh, proven leader we need fighting for us in Washington.”

Dan Helmer is a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, a Rhodes Scholar, business strategist, and father of two.

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Actually, just saw this from a few days ago:

We raised over $250K in Q3 and have more than $550K on hand and can’t wait to take on Barbara Comstock and turn #VA10 blue.

State Senator Jennifer Wexton raised $255,075 in the third quarter of 2017, the most of any Democratic Primary candidate in Virginia’s 10th CD race. Wexton received donations from 1,151 individuals, and earned strong local support with 84% of her money raised coming from Virginia.

“I am encouraged and energized by the financial support my campaign is receiving,” said Senator Wexton. “Everywhere we go in the district, people we talk to are eager for a change of leadership in Washington. I’m humbled that our campaign has received support from such a large and diverse group of Virginians and I look forward to serving them in Congress.”

Wexton’s strong Q3 finance report follows her endorsement by over 60 local elected officials, including Congressmen Gerry Connolly (VA-11) and Donald McEachin (VA-4). In response to Wexton’s entry into the race in late April, the Cook Political Report moved its rating of the 10th District from Lean Republican to Toss Up.

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Lindsey Davis Stover raised $137k in the third quarter; major dropoff from the second quarter…

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VA-05

Ben Cullop Announces Raising Over $150,000 Just Six Weeks After Campaign Launch

EARLYSVILLE, VA – Today, Ben Cullop’s campaign for Virginia’s 5th District announced he raised $151,491.05 in the third fundraising quarter from more than 300 individual donors. Of those donors, 54% were first-time federal contributors. Cullop launched his campaign just six weeks prior to the fundraising deadline. He has $107,447.97 on hand– $96,647.97 of which is available in the primary.

“We’re grateful to the hundreds of people who stepped up to support Ben’s positive vision for change in Washington,” Cullop for Congress Campaign Manager Jeff Allen said. “And with over half of our contributions coming from first-time federal donors, it’s clear that Virginians, 5th District residents, and newly engaged donors are showing immense interest in Ben and his positive message for change.”

Over half of the campaign’s contributions (54%) came from donors who had never given to a federal candidate before. Cullop’s candidacy has energized both the Virginia Democratic base as well as a new generation of politically active individuals that the party will need in order to win in the 5th district and across the country.

Cullop’s campaign raised the funds without any existing political infrastructure in place. He also received this support without the help of a PAC. Cullop has committed to not taking any corporate PAC money during his campaign and during his tenure in the House.

Ben Cullop is a 4th generation Virginian who received his undergraduate degree and MBA from the University of Virginia. He built a successful career investing in communities and businesses across the Commonwealth. He serves his community as a member of the advisory board of the UVA Children’s Hospital, the Albemarle County Police Foundation Board, and previously, the Charlottesville Retirement Commission. Ben lives in Albemarle County with his wife, Ashley, and their two young children.

Huffstetler Fundraising Continues to Outpace Field in Latest Filing Period

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – In his second quarter as a candidate, Roger Dean (RD) Huffstetler raised $295,764 to defeat Congressman Tom Garrett next November. Since entering the race in late April, RD has raised $632,318 for the campaign. These funds will help amplify RD’s call for building an inclusive economy that works for all Americans.

“I am honored by the number of people that have continued to support my campaign,” RD said earlier today. “I have spoken with voters from a variety of backgrounds who are united by a desire to see leadership in Congress that focuses on real solutions instead of divisive political games. We have to do more for our communities, and that is why I will continue to fight for a more inclusive economy in Virginia.”RD’s campaign is driven by an incredible grassroots movement, receiving over 1500 contributions in the past quarter. Almost half of these were donations of $10 or less, and 80% were donations of $50 or less. This broad base of support, combined with over $450,000 cash on hand, demonstrates that RD is the best candidate to take on Tom Garrett next fall.